Apparatus for surface hardening shafts and the like



May 30, 1944. F. s. DENNEEN ETAL APPARATUS FOR SURFACE HARDENING SHAFTS AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 4, 1941 7 Sheets-Sheet l I F Lg.2

- 35 2 2& 2?

poi-GO INVENTORS.

May 30, 1944. F. s DENNEEN ETAL 2,349,813

APPARATUS FOR SURFACE HARDENING SHAFTS AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. .4, 1941 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS @a SA ffib jw.

May 30, 1944.

F. S. DENNEEN ETAL Filed Sept. 4, 1941 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS. %M S a k Wm /%M.

y 1944- F. s. DENNEEN ET AL 2,349,813

APPARATUS FOR SURFACE HARDENING SHAFTS AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 4, 1941 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 7 INVENTORS May 30, 1944.

F. S. DENNEEN ET AL APPARATUS FOR SURFACE HARDENING SHAFTS AND THE LI Filed Sept. 4, 1941 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 I l I INVENTORS. (M m I F. s. DENNEEN ETAL 2,349,813 APPARATUS FOR SURFACE HARDENING SHAFTS AND THE LIKE May 30, 1944.

Filed Sept. 4, 1941 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTORS Pmn e'diua' so, 1944 AEPARATUS F08 SURFACE HARDENING 4 SHAPES AND THE LIKE Francis 53. Denneen, fileveland, and William C. Dunn, Shaker Heights, ,iihio, asslg'nors to The Qhio Crankshait Jompany, Cleveland, Ohio, a

corporation oi flhio Application September 4, 1941, Serial No. 409,486

(Ci. Elli-13) l2 lllalms.

The present application relating as indicated to apparatus for heat treating metallic articles by inductive heating usually, but not always followed by cooling, is a continuation in part of our copending application Serial No. .l66,643, for

Apparatus and method for surface'hardening shafts and the like, filed Septemherfiii, 3.93? and describes an improvement in the subject matter of our invention shown and described in co-pend: ing application Serial No. 56,870 for Apparatus for mice hardening and product thereof filed December 31, 1935 now Patent N0.'2,293,@47, dated August 18, 1942. The invention disclosed in this last named application provides for means to automatically connect and disconnect in proper sequence certain parts of the apparatus required to accomplish the hardening of a surface zone on a metallic article such as, for instance, the crankshaft shown therein. In our co-pen'ding application Serial No. 383,96-6i0r lpparatus for heat treating, filed March 18, 1941, now Patent No. 2,315,509, dated April 5, 1943, we have shown and claimed the transformer and related heating apparatus shown principally in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the present application.

Pieces differing as to material, form or dimensions require diflerentcontrol of the heating and quenching, and further they respond diflerently in the matter of changes in magnetic qualities, conductivity and other characteristics as the temperature rises. I

It will thcreiore.,be obvious that such apparatus arranged to properly harden a surface zone .on one particular journal may not properly con- 'trol the heating and quenching iorsatlsfcctorily hardening the surface zone and controlling the metallurgical qualities of the zone, afiecte'd on ing this generator under load a greater part of the time, and save a great deal in original cost by eliminating the necessity of duplicate generators and other eqinpme'nt;

To accomplish the above desired results, it has been necessary to develop new auxiliary control mechanism not shown in the former application, above identified, and preferably arranged to function in connection with more than one heat treating station.

The principal object of this invention, therefore, is to provide such mechanism asls required to accomplish the desired metallurgy including the hardeningof various surfaces in rapid sucsession. Another object is to provide means for electrically interconnecting such mechanism so that only one power unit is required for several heat treating stations. An additional object is to provide means whereby one hardening operction may be accomplished without interfering with another such operation on another article to he hardened. A further object is to provide means whereby additional heating stations functioning in connection with a general supply source may be easily accomplished. Another object is to'provide equipment which can be operated by unskilled persons. An additional object is to provide contact means for transmitting current of high density. A further object is to provide means for tempering the hardened surface zone. Still another object is to provide a method for accurately controlling heating and quenching of any individual article. Another object is to provide means whereby the metalc joixrnalof diiierent style, dimensions or materlal.

Industrial conditions require not only a close duplication of parts, but also require a rapid rate of production. These requirements maize necessary a. close control of the heating and quenching vfor each individual surface zone and a. rapid transfer from the heating and quenching of one surface zone to another and different closely controlled heating and quenching for another surface zone in order that several such surface zones may be hardened in rapid succession. Such control of heating and quenching and the rapid lurgy including the hardening'of the zone afieoted'may be controlled. Other objects of this invention are: (a) to provide controlled means for hardening a. zone on an article by heating and quenching; (l?) to provide controlled means for annealing certain classes of materials such as copper,- brass and other non-ferrous metals by heating and quenching; (c) to provide means for hardening by heating and quenching andfor subsequent tempering by controlled residual heat resulting from the hardening operations; (d) to provide means for heat treating by heating and quenching and controlled re-heating; (c) to provide means for heat treating by pro-heating so as to control the temperature and/or the form and dimensions of a heated zone and .for subsequently heating and quenching 9. portion of such pre-heated zone; (I) to provide means for annealing or tempering by controlled heating and subsequent cooling without the application of a quenching fluid.

/ With these and other objects in view which will appear as the following description proceeds, said invention then consists ofthe apparatus illustrated in the annexed drawingsand herein described together with the steps to be taken in its use. The phraseology employed is for the purpose of explanation and not for limitation, the claims hereto appended pointing out those parts of theinvention which are regarded as novel.

In said annexed drawings:

Fig. 1 is a transverse elevation, partly in section of one form of the heating and quenohing mechanism. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of a part of said heating and quenching mechanism substantially as indicated at 22 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic side elevation, partly in section, illustrating the progressive steps in the heat treatment of a crankshaft. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal elevation, partly'ln section, showing the motor driven selector employed in the operation of our apparatus. Fig. 5 is "a section, substantially on line 5-5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing the timing drum and drive employed therefor. Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the timing drum and drive showing the contactor element assembly employed therewith. Fig. 8 is an elevation of the contactor element assembly. 'Fig. 9 is a fragmentary section of the contactor element assembly taken on line 9 of Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a section substantially at lG-l'liof Fig. 8. Fig. 11 is a fra mentary section as indicated at ll--i i equipped with inductor blocks of different size and of-Fi 6. Fig. 12 is a fragmentary section on iii-l2 of Fig. 11. Fig. 13 is a view as indicated at iii-43 of Fig. 6. Figs. 14a and 14?) whenmated together form a. diagram of the electrical connections for both the control and power ciroults for two heat treating stations.

Description of heat treating tunnel Referring now to the general arrangement of.

the apparatus illustrated, principally in Figs. 1. 2 and 3, it will be noted that th s is indicated as applied to the heat treatment of a crankshaft shown at 20 although numerous other shafts and similar articles may be treated thereby. In this i embodiment the carrier 21, having V block supports 22 for the shaft. is carried on wheels 23 which run on tracks 24 and 25. These tracks are supported on a series of frames or supports 28 having such brackets as 21 attached thereto for holding'a transformer 2s hereinafter designated as a focus inductor, a frame member of which has a trunnion support at2 in the frame 30 of alcarriage 3!. This carriage 3i is provided with four wheels 32 constrained to follow track memblock 35 to be lowered sumciently to be brought under a pin or hearing to be hardened. To tocilitate the manual operation of this focus inductor, a changeable counterweight as shown at 36 is provided which balances the greater part of the weight of the inductor blocks 34 and 35. The counterweight is made changeable to balance the focus inductor when this .focus inductor 15 weight.

Water for cooling the coils of the focus inductor is provided by flexible hose lines 31 and 38. Quenching fluid, which is usually water or an aqueous solution, is supplied directly to inductors E4 and 35 by hose lines 39 and Q0. As there .is considerable excess quenching fluid which flows out of the inductors due to the pressure employed, a large part of this, if uncontrolled, would be thrown onto the surrounding mechanism including parts of the focus inductor, damaging this mechanism as well as being lost or wasted. To prevent this damage and loss due to the spraying or scattering of the quenching fluid, an enclosure 6! usually in the form of a tunnel extending past several heater stations at each of which a focus inductor is located, is provided. A flexible boot or bellows shaped shield 42, usually mad of canvas, extends from the focus inductor to the tunnel and surrounds the extending parts of the inductors. This shield 52 is sufdciently flexible to permit of the necessary universal movement of this focus inductor. A collector pan it, usually forming a part of the support stand 26, serves as means for accumulating th spent quenching fluid. Pipe M collects the quench from the several pans and returns it to the supply reservoir. A pressure pump, not shown, circulates the quenching fluid through pipe l5 at relatively low pressure, until quenching is required, when bypass valve as is closed, shutting ofi the return to the reservoir, and diverting the entire delivery to the lines 39 and 46 which, being somewhat restricted due to the size of orifices in the inductor blocks 36 and 35, causes the pressure at these orifice's' and in lines 39 and 40 to rise rapidlyto a relatively high amount causing the quench to be delivered through the orifices to accomplish the desired rapid quenching of these surfaces with suflicie'nt pressure to dislodge and/or prevent in-v cipient steam pockets or vesicles of vapors on the heated surfaces. For convenient accessibility in placing inductor blocks 34 and 35 in position over the article to be hardened, the tunnel Si is pro--,

tunnel. the shaft is removed from the carrier 21 and this carrier is returned to the opposite end of the tunnel where another shaft to be hardened is placedupon it. In order to bring the carrier back to the starting end of thetunnel, return tracks 48 and 49 are provided in the lower part of the tunnel supporting frames 26, which tracks are. spaced substantially the same as tracks 28 and 25' above. A suitable conveyor such as a motor driven chain having link parts to engage the carriers, is ordinarily employed to return the carriers along these lower tracks.

' As the carriers 2! have considerable weight, es-

: pecially when loaded, means is provided for ra sing and lowering them between the levels of the two sets of tracks. This means comprises the two elevating platforms 50 and 5|, one at each end of the tunnel, as shown in Fig. 3, and each of which is fluid operated, usually by compressed air. when the carrier 2| reaches the end of the tunnel i is run out onto platform 50 which is ordinarily tracks 48 and 49. The carrier is then started on its return trip by means of a conveyor chain to the starting end of the tunnel where it passes onto platform Platform 5| is provided with short sections of track substantially like those on platform 50 and-with a corresponding stop After placing a shaft on the carrier while this carrier is on platform 5|, this platform is elevated by fluid pressure controlled by a suitable valve to bringit to a stop at the elevation of the upper tracks 24 and 25 as indicated in broken lines where it is ready to start its return trip past the various heater stations.

In some cases the shaft to be hardened is preheated and is delivered to platform 5| from preheater 52 which is equipped with a track 53 having suitable roller carriers 54. 52 is heated by gas or any other convenient means and the temperature to which the shaft is raised is governed by the shaft andits material. This preheating isto reduce the temperature gradient between the core. of the shaft and the surface when heated by induced currents. For instance, the preheating temperature in the case of a crankshaft made from chrome molybdenum steel is set at approximately 300 F.

Upon removing the shaft from the carrier after this carrier has reached platform 50 the shaft is attached to a suitable conveyorsuch as is indicated at 55 and is caused to pass through a reheating chamber or bath of oil or other suitable liquid maintained at a suitable temperature usually of the order of 250 to 350 F., depending upon the nature of the article. bath relieves the surface strains in the hardened zones and eliminates or materially reduces the tendency to the formation of surface cracks.

Upon removal fromthe conveyor 55, the shafts are cleaned of the oil, and oil hole plugs that were put in before hardening are removed and the shaftsare then ground on all bearings or other surfaces requiring ground finishes.

Connecting bus bars to tunnel ,fo'cus inductors For the purpose of supplying heating energy to the variousstations along the tunnel 4 l a system bf b'usbars such as 55, 5! and 58, shown in the upper part of Fig. 1, is'placed in substantially parallel relationship with the tunnel and these bus bars are preferably carried considerably above the tunnel for economy in space and convenience of use. These bus bars are usually supported by insulating means on a metal carrier frame 59' which may be attached to a part of the frame of the building in which the equipment is used. This carrier frame not only supports the bus bars but supports supply headers such as '60 for cooling water lines 31 and also various relays, air supply lines and other parts which are conveniently located thereon.

For conducting the high frequency current,

usually employed, from the bus bars to the focus inductors, two groups of cables 6| and 62 carried in close parallel relationship to reduce harmful inductance are employed. A group of small cables instead of one large cable is usually desired to reduce heating losses caused by induct on and obtain the flexibility required in moving the The pre-heaterfocus inductor along its tracks 33 and in swinging it on its trunnions 28.- These two groups of cables are usually bound together in parallel relation at suitable places such as at 63, thereby substantially eliminating induction losses there in.

As it is desired to have the focus inductor connected to the bus bars only during such periods as heating is required, means for readily connecting and disconnecting terminals 64 and $5 of the cables SI and 82 relative to the bus bars and 51 is required. This connecting and disconnecting means which is shown in some detail in our copending application Serial No. 174,611 filed November 15, 1937, now Patent No. 2,261,845, dated November 4, 1941, comprises a bracket 66 supported on an insulat ng spacer 61 which is usually made of such materialas hard rubber or micarta and which is carried between the bus bars 58 and 51. Hingedly mounted on bracket 55 are two pairs of arms 68 and 68 to the lower ends of which contactor blocks 64 and are connected respectively. At the upper end of arms 58 and 59 are connected the two relatively moveable members 10 and II of the air operated chamber 12. Compressed air is supplied to this chamber through hose line 13 from relay operated valve 14. Air is supplied to valve 14 by supply header 15. The contactors 64 and 55 serve as terminals for the groups of cables GI and 62. These contactors are usually rectangular blocks of copper having a series of drilled and oounterbored holes for the cable ends. The insulation is removed from these cable ends and the exposed metal of the cable is inserted in the lower ends of the drilled holes as shown. The space around the exposed metal of the cable, provided by the counterboring, is filled with a fus- This reheating Operating station control drum- The control drum should be arranged to function after the station is ready to go through its heat treating cycle and at a time when heating energy is available for the station. To this end the motor driven selector shown in Figs. 4 and 5 is employed. When the inductor blocks 34 and 35 of Fig. 1 have'been placed in position over the shaft or article to be hardened, a contactor button shown at in the signal panel 90A which contains yellow, red and blue or lights of other appropriate colors is operated at the tunnel station to close, through a holding circuit, a switch in a circuit operating a clutch for actuating the timing drum. The selector motor 9| running continuously and through suitable gearing 92; drives disc 93 at suitable speed, which for average uses is about 60 revolutions per minute. This brings contactor 94 successively into contact with brushes 85, there being one such brush for each timer drum. The brush 95 contacts with brass ring 91 which ring is maintained in current conducting relationship with contactor 94 by means of the brass screw 98. The ring 91 is insulated from disc 93 by means of ring 99. Holders I00 for brushes 95 are carried in insulat ng bushings llll in brush carriermember I02. This brush carrier ordinarily is supported on the frame of motor 9| by means of flange I03. Each of the wires such as IIII attached to brushes 95 leads to a different station along the tunnel H where buttons such as 90 for preliminarily closing the drum clutch control circuits are located on suitable panels. by an insulating bushing I05 in the bracket I06 carries wire II" which completes the return circuit to the source of the control current at the instant the contactor 94 passes one of the brushes 95. Each of the brushes 95 corresponds to a given station and is in a circuit controlled by the.

push button 90 for that particular station.

The starting button 90 may be pressed and other holding circuits established at several or all of the stations at one time, but we have provided interlocking circuits which prevent the engagement of any control drum clutch at a time that would cause interference or overlapping with the functions at a station already in operation. Two or more stations, or the heating or other periods of two or more stations, may be prevented from operating simultaneously and these stations may be brought into operation in the order in which buttons 90 are operated. If two of these buttons are operated in rapid succession or simultaneously, the stations will function in the order of the contacts made by contactor 94 with the brushes 95 in the control circuits.

Description of wiring diagram Having now pointed out the general arrangement of the heater stations along the tunnel, the apparatus whereby heating current is supplied to the focus inductor at each station and the means whereby the control drum for each station is set in operation, we will now describe the electrical connections for operating the various parts of the mechanism as well as for the distribution of heating current, reference being had to Figs. 14a and 14b.

Figs. 14a, and 14b show the wiring diagram for two stations. The operation of the station indicated as No. I will now be pointed out by reference to this diagram, the operation of station No. 2 being substantially the same in every respect as that of station No. I.

The control circuits are supplied with current through lines LI and L2 andare connectable to suitable supply lines by an ordinaryswitch S,

as shown. The timing drum motor MI and selector motor M2, the functions of which are hereinafter explained, are connected across lines LI and L2 and normally are both started upon closing switch S and-ordinarily run continuously.

Inducing current for heating the shaft or other articles is supplied by the generator III) which delivers this current to the primary coils III of a transformer, there being a transformer for each heat treating station as indicated. The generator may be driven from any suitable source but is preferably driven by direct connected synchronous motor'which runs continuously and the power is applied at the different heat treating stations when and as required. It will be understood that a large number of stations may be operated from the same generator or from a group of generators by connecting more stations in a manner similar to the connections shown for stations I and 2. After provision has been made for a number of stations, any one or more may be omitted in the successive operations of the device .by leavin open the switches connecting the control circuit of that particular station, such for instance as switches H2 and H3, hereinafter The brush 96 which is supported.

described. if station I were to remain inoperative.

Exciter IIIIa supplies-current to field I 54 of generator I I0. A shunt I I0!) controlled by switch IIIlc is provided as means for shorting out this field to rapidly reduce to a preselected minimum the output of generator IIIl. Switches Ia and lllb are provided in the field circuit to open this circuit entirely and bring the output of generator substantially to zero. The output of exciter IIfla is regulated manually by rheostat II2a.

Proceeding now with the operating steps as applied to station No. I, the high frequency generator III) having been started the timing drum motor MI and selector motor M2 are started by closing switch S. To operate station No. I switches H2 and H3, which are shown open, are closed. These switches are connected as indicated by the broken lines so that both open or close substantially at the same time. Fuses are provided at I I6 and H5 as a protection for the apparatus supplied .by current from these switches. As long as station No. I is intermittently operated either alone or successively with one or more other stations, these switches remain closed. They are opened only when this station is to remain inoperative while other stations are being used. In general, the operatin procedure is as follows:

The necessary motors are put in operation; the station cutout switches H2 and H3 are closed; the shaft or article H6 to be surface hardened i placed in proper relation to the inductor circuit formed by the members 34 and 35; the push button starting switch 90, which is shown in Fig. 1, is closed so as to start the apparatus of station #I. Closing the starting switch 90 permits the operating circuit current to actuate various relays for controlling the timing mechanism of the heating and quenching cycles as hereinafter ex- I2 la is connected in parallel across the terminals of thecoil of relay I26 and this remains lighted as long as the relay is energized,-and serves to indicate that circuit is in operation.

Upon a momentary contact of starting button .9Il,'relay I26 is thus energized and through a mechanical connection this relay simultaneously closes contacts I21 and I28. The switch I21 maintains a holding circuit through-relay I26 for keeping switch I28 closed.

The switch I21 is connected across the terminals of starting switch so that after the relay I26 has been energized through the operation of the starting" switch 90, a holding circuit is established whereby the relay I26 continues to' be energized even after the opening of switch 90 and relay I 26 remains energized untilits circuit is broken by the rotation of the drum I24 or by the pressing of the stop switch I22, the operation of which is hereinafter described.

When the switch S is closed to connect the lines LI and L2 to the control circuits, relay I29 is energized and its circuit may be traced as follows: Starting from LI through relay coil I29,

through line LU, through normally closed contact m (on relay in) through line at, through normally closed contact I18 on relay i1! through line A25, through normally closed contact ii! on station #1 bus bar contactor switch, through line A26, through normally closed contact ill on sta= tion #2 bus bar contactcr interlock to line L2. Contact I30, mechanically connecteri to relay H9, is closed, thereby .and remains closed until one of the stations is put into operation. with contact I" closed. aline circuit is established from the Lil terminal ofrelay coil 29 to the rot-sting control member iii on the station selector. As the contact member |3i moves ccutiuucusiy. it makes successivccontacts at points ass, 5%,. use, etc.. on the selector dial. W1? contact member iti reaches point its the for i station is completed, switch itlii hating previously. closed as above pointed out,

Starting at switch S, current line Li through closed contact i ii, line ML through relays t from c a. are connected in parallel; LEE, contact E28, contact po member 26, contact 36 then in closed contacts it? and 6-38 c A5,, thence through line A thron 131' closed contact it this) T 21 tally cicscei co ccnipleting the circuit. thus sineul' ccesiy cners contacts is? and M2 and c M4 and we and it?) Relay Er has a sell-holding circuit cc tact H3 and drum cont-ac i contacts 3, i", E clcs current which first energizes it tcrrupted by the passage of cont beyond contact point E33 Still/6i" tit-- any of contacts I37, I39, or The action of relay I on it: removes resistance I53 iron" crater lit to raisethe' current is resistance in having been mile beforehand to provide for h erotica. In opening contact i U closes bringing rheostat itfic lieiai circuit in-placeo! resistance is having been adjusted in entran the desired minimum generator vol age for the particular part he This operating voltage is further rec heating by adjustable members att use to drum lit as will be explained more iuiipiiereinatter. The closing of contact Hi energiaee she solericici IE5 which causes clutch I" to engage start rotating the drum I24.

Contact I, in closing, 7 supplies current through line L3! to the solenoid in. controlling the air operated bus bar contactors ms and iii, thereby closing these contactors. Contact I also supplies current to actuate relay 58 which closes contactor I". The primary iii of the focus indicator is thus connected to the bus bars III and N3 of the generator ill and to the third bus bar I64. a

Contacts H5 and I3! are mechanically connected to bus bar contactors Ill and ill .and they are arranged so that contact 13! opens and contact I15 closes the instant these bus bar contactors engage the bus bars, with contact I" open, all other stations are locked out against operation until these particular bus diar con tactors againopen. Contact I" is in the circuit accomplished as to out or less ci" with the relay I" that operates the memoircuit breakers so that contact H5 must be closed before the main circuit breaker contacts 289 and Hi may be closed. Therefore, the bus bar contactors must be closed before the main circult breakers Elli-i8! can be closed.

The contact M3 in closing establishes'a hold lug circuit for relay E85. as previously explained.

The operation of relay NE in closing contact lit supplies curent to line Ki? of the circuit controlled by drum lit for regulating resistance in the field circuit of generator H8. This is follows: Contact 2 being opened by relay 53% simultaneously with the closing of contact 552 relay are, current in line KM is interruption and the entire output of eiicii'er i5 dclivezerl tiiru ammeter A and c, etc, ali cf'which resist- .c hemp; ncatecl, the resistance in higher out-put voltage quired. This higher of excites iifla thus in the field 55 of clips E820, lie drum close con from ol -3 clo 5, thereby out 0 tells. isle; By setting the c position on drum the current in or is controlled so as to provide voltage at all times during the has controlling the heating power at heating station during the heat -g ml at oil stages. Hand operated switcl' cs i fib, etc, serve as means for shorting it resistances ie'ic, will, etc. as may not Le in on iirili use For heating another article re= e or less power from generator EH1 is usually adjusted and contacts icZc, etc. are rearranges; on the drum, csistance Milo, 613%; etc, and. to out the c times as changes in power output are recur ed.

Since the inductance of the circuits ciififcr with dii'lerent articles'being heated, and since it necessary to maintain a power factor as near -'ior this purpose are indicated at. I65, I66, 51,

I68 and iii. Condenser I89, which corresponds to the minimum capacity required for any station, that may be placed in operation, is permanently connectedacross bus bars I62 and IE4.

The total amount of capacity required is deter- -mined by calculation or by a preliminary test On'a-sample piece of material corresponding in size and analysis with the article to be heated.

With this determination made such of switches Ill, IH etc. as control the amount oi capa'city required are closed so as to make these condensers available in'the circuit when required. Contacts such as I", I, I and I5!) which are closed by relay I supply current to lines LIB, L",

or certain classes of work at the heat I681; controlling the condensers I65, I66, etc. Since only certain ones of switches I'M, IN etc. have been closed only such condensers as correspond-to these closed switches are connected to the heating circuit regardless of the fact that all of contacts I41, I49, I49 and I50 are closed by relay I36. Thus switches I19, IN and I12 may be closed to make'condensers I65, I66, and I61 available for heating station No. I while switches III', I12 and I13 are closed to make condensers I66, I61 and I66 available for heating station No. 2. Condensers I66, I67 and I69 are thus common to both heating stations while the other condensers are not.

There should be no direct contact between the shaft and the inductor parts III and lid during application of heating current. If, before the start of the heating cycle the shaft happens to be in contact with the heating inductor, relay I14 will be energized by current from transformer I140; flowing thru a-circuit completed by the inductor 35 being grounded on shaft H6, thereby opening contact I29, making it impossible for the operator to complete the circuit to start the cycle of operations until after he has cleared the contact between the shaft andthe inductor.

In such case the relay I14 not only opens the operating circuit but closes a circuit through aclosed contactI9I and relay I92, the latter bringing contact I93 into closed position, thus completing the circuit through interlock contact I15, mechanically held closed by bus bar contactors I59 and ItI. Closing contact I15 opens contact I99 thus preventing any energizing current from reaching relays operating any other station, and

I preventing two stationsfrom being simultaneously connected. Theinterlock contact I15 supplies current to relay I16 which closes contact I11 energizing solenoids I16 and I19 and these two solenoids close main line contactors use and ItI. As drum I2t continues to rotate, heating cam I89 holds contact I99 in closed position until, at the end of heating, cam I89 has passed contact I90 at which instant this contact opens, de- 2 energizing relay I92. This opens contact I93 whichin turn lie-energizes relay II6,-thereby opening contact I11. Opening of this latter contact tie-energizes relay I19 and I19, thereby causing the main circuit breakers I86 and I8I to open and to disconnect the supply of high LI8' and LI9 for relays Ia, I66a, I61a and which in turn opensthe holding circuit for relays I IMa, I94b, etc., de-energizing these relays and.

opening contacts I86a, I861), etc., so that resistanccs IBIa, I8'Ib, etc. are again inserted in'series with the generator. field. When contact I9 opens, relay I96, is also de-energized so that contact .I96b closes and short circuits resistance I 96c. The field resistance of the generator is thus reset for the proper value for starting another heating =cycle. for the same or another heating station.

During the heating period quench cam I 99 closes contact 296 supplying current to the relay 269 which operates bypass, valve 2M in the quench supply line sufilciently in advance of the end of the heating period to permitpressure to build, up at the valve 202 at the station I,

and this relay holds the bypass valve closed until shortly after the quenching is completed, thereby insuring sumcient quenching pressure during the quenching period.

Contact I25 which is closed by engagement of cam 201 at the beginning of the station cycle remains closed, usually until after the termination of the heating period, at which time the end I of cam 261 having been reached, contact I25 opens and remains open until near the end'oi the revolution of the drum, at which time the ing the cycle of operations until the contact I29 for this starting station is again closed.

With relay I95 tie-energized, holding contact I93 (which is in series with I29) for both relays I95 and I96 opens; at the same time contact I31 isclosed.

When relay I36 opens the normally open contacts I91, I99, I59 and I59 open, thereby disconnecting the corresponding capacitor units from the bus bars I62 and I99. At the same time contact I 52, also mechanically connected to relay I36, opens, cutting ofithe supply of current to line KII, the line that supplies current to actuate relays I83a, I991); etc. v When relay I35 is tie-energized, contact I is opened, and with the opening'of this contact the solenoids I51 and I58 are both simultaneously de-energized With solenoid I51 de-energized,

the air pressure is released from the bus bar contactor diaphragm, thereby permitting the spring actuated bus bar contactors I59 and IN v r -c to open and to disconnect the bus bar I62 and I64 from heating station No. I. 'When solenoid I58 is de energized, which occurs as above de- "scribed, contact I6Il opens, thereby disconnecting conductor I53 from station No. I.

When the bus bar contacts I59 and I6I open,

interlock contact I39 closes and interlock 'contact I15 opens. 1 yWith the opening of contact I25 by the rotation of drum I24 as above described, th difie ent control contacts are all restoredto position so that the heating cycle at another station, such as station No. 2 may be started and car ried through exactly-in the same way as described above for station No. I.

In the meantimedrum I24 continues its revomum and substantially at the end of the heating period, but usually a fraction of a second after, it is terminated by the opening of switch I96, quench cam 2M closes contact 205, and through line L36 (with the blue light B in pan allel) energizes relay 2636 which opens valve 202 thereby supplying quenching fluid under pressure to the hollow inductors 36 and 5, and through openings from them onto the heated. areas. This quenching continues as long as cam 20% maintains contact 205 in closed position. The quench ing period is therefore determined by the lengthy of the cam 20L In some cases it is desirable to control the timing and the length or time of the heati period and/or the quenching period to close limits such as 6 second, or even closer. and to in sure satisfactory results it is sometimes preterm able to use a synchronous motor to drive the timing drum mechanism. I

Drum llld driven by motor M continues to retate until it has completed one full revolution at which time roller 234, shown in Figs. 1a and E5, enters the slot in i e clutch member 226, locl= log the drum n a to starting position ready for beginnii lothel. cycle as will be hereinafter explained. a before reaching the of its rotation, ca

that the one to unoti lice r:

opens the clr selector so the pushing butto rrcl cont-act this. contact being in series if e drum contact Attire same time when reels; 2% is energ zed, opens contact t in turn de=ene isles relay SE2 so that contact it? opens li'lbfiflillillli lines Sit L2, releasing relay llli. This de energizes relays and H9, thereby causing main line con-actors Hill and it! to open and to interrupt the heating, at the instant at which such opening occurs. The drum EZd-l'lfi, however, continues to rotate until it hascompleted its movement to the pro determined stopping point.

As previously pointed out the holding contact 209 for relay 20% is in series with the drum contact I90, so that relay 208 is kept energized until drum contact I90 opens and the main 1ine circuit breakers are 1 thereby prevented from vclosing again until the drum contact I80 opens.

Description of control drum The control drum m, its driving mechanism and related parts together with the construction of the contacts operated by this drum as indicated in Figs. 14a and 141; will now be' described,

ably formed and located cams for controlling the I replaced.

heating and quenching such as I98, 204 and 20!, is inserted for each station it is desired to operate. The form and location of each clip and cam are determined beforehand by experiment if sufflclent experimental or other data are not already available to determine them by calculation.

After a drum has once been equipped with the clips and earns properly set for a particular jourhad or othersurf'ace, it is usually preserved with 10 out change of setting after being removed from the apparatus, especially when itis expected that another article of the same size and analysis is to be hardened at a later date. However, the clips and cams may be readily relocated on the drum or may be replaced by other clips or cams and thus the drum with the changed timing elements serves for timing the heating and quenching functions of another journa1 or artlcle.

Referring particularly to Figs. 6 and 'l. the

ml is carried between two coaxial 2 it] and fill each of which has a peripherally extending bead such. as 2G2 engaging the inner olrcw e drum to maintain the drum iship the dis e cl of tile drum ace.-

M3137 molmted in s sir o n-"ting bracket all in the form of a unted retractably in thrnst d at rts one one. o

the lower end oi the drum the disc 2H is provided with driving lug 2Z2 engaging a notch in the drum as shown. more clearly in 16 to insure a positive drive for this drum. The disc 2H is rotatably carried on shaft 223 which is pinned to bevel gear 2%, the latter being driven by gear? carried bgyccntinuously rotating shaft. 22%, the latter shaft being driven by motor M indicated on Figs. led, and 14b. The member 22?, referring to Figs. and 7, which is substantially in the form. of a spur gear is keyed to shaft 223 and serves as a clutch driving member. The .clutch driven member 228 which is provided with one or more pins 22] disposed to engage between the teeth in member 221, is slldable on ,.shaft 223 to eflect the engagement and disengagement of the pin or pins with the teeth. A driving arm 22! is secured to the hub of disc 22!, and at its outer end slidably engages pin III.

This pin issec'ured in drum disc H land serves as a means by which driven member 228 is slidably connected to this drum .disc but in such manner that 22! must always rotate with 2. The pin 2" is of sumcient length to always engage the end of arm 22. The yoke 2M engaging a thrust face on'the hub of driven member 12. serves as means for sliding this member axially to engage the aforesaid pink with, the teeth of member 221. This yoke, which is hingedly mounted at 232 on bracket 233 secured to base M5, is actuated by solenoid I55 also indicated on Fig. 17. Thissolenoid when energized by-current supplied through the connections of the selector, after starting .switch l20 shown on Figs.- 14a and 14b has been closed, exerts a pulling force on the yoke 23! and thereby brings members 221 and 228 into clutching engagement which starts drum 82d. v

The solenoid I55 is energized for only a short period or until the driven member 228 hasrotated enough to bring the edge, of the notch in the face of this driven disc past roller 23$ as shown at an enlarged scale in Figs. 11 and 12.

' This roller being supported by boss 2% attached to plate 7M5, bears against the upper face of driven member 228. and thus holds the clutch members in engagement until one full revolution has been completed, when the driven ,mem her 228 is shifted back by spring 235, and the roller drops into the notch bringing the driven member and disc 2| I to rest with the drum lid in its initial position, at which time the cycle. of

heating and quenching is completed. In some cases it is desirable to control ,the functions for more than one cycle by a single revolution of the drum and this is accomplished by providing one or more additional notches in the rim of the disc 22% for the. engagement of roller 23% and making necessary changes in the control to correspond with the additional notches.

The means whereby the rotation of drum I24 establishes the various contacts for actuatingthe relays and other members in the control circuits as indicated in Figs. 14a, and 141 are shown in Figs, 7, 8, 9 and 10. The heating and quenching cams such as 201 engage rollers such as 23l making the silver button soldered to the roller carriers 2&3 contact with the silver tipped adjustable screw contacts i239. The current is supplied by a common connection 260 and is distributed by individual lines such as Mi leading to the various heat and quench operating relays that are illustrated diagrammatically in Figs. 14a, and 1411' the following described time measuring devices:

LA contact making or contact breaking plunger arranged to function by spring or other resilient means or by gravity action with an adjustable metered fluid control to time the travel of the plunger, and with an automatic thermostatic valve mechanism to control the fluid opening 50 as to compensate for changes in viscosity of the fluid due to temperature changes.

2. A thermo electric timing device consisting of a leaf member heldby one end so as to be adjustable as to tension, the leaf being made from two metals having diflerent coemcients of expansion and an electric heating coil for the leaf For the generator field regulation the adjustable clips 532a, i821), etc., and tilt engage the projections 262 formed by a bend made in the central parts of reeds 203 (see Fig. 10). These reeds through insulating buttons 2 30, deflect current conducting reeds 265 establishing contact between silver buttons 2% and adjustable contact screws Edithus supplying current from the common connections 248 to lines its leading to the various relays late, I861), etc. which control the resistances in the field circuit of the generaton;

In many cases it is desirable to subject a piece that is to be zone hardened to a pre-heating treatment at the location that is to be hardened before hardening by heating and quenching.

mately 100 to 500 degrees Fah. below the critical temperature. Immediately alter this heating, the zone to behardened is heated and quenched by the-method elsewhere described in this speci v j fication. Y

Under certain conditions we accomplish the timing oLthe heatingand quenching by means other-than that of the drum above described.

' Depending upon various conditions, we use as such other, control means than the 'drum one of It arranged so that when current is connected to the coil the heating developed will after a predetermined time cause the leaf to bend and make or break contact with an adjustable contact piece thereby closing a circuit to actuate a solenoid operated switch or valve, whichever may be needed. g

I 3. A gravity, spring or motor driven clock mechanism arranged to make or break an electric contact after a predeterminedtime interval and adjustable means to vary the time interval. We have shown such a timing mechanism in our copending application, Serial No. 56,870. All such timing devices are readily set by a single movement by the operator. For instance, when the operator pushes the starting button ,at his station all the timed circuits being operable by the button are set for timing action.' One of these circuits starts the heating immediately or after a very short preliminaryinterval. Another terminates the heating at the proper time. Another starts the quench at or near the end of the heating period, and another one interrupts the quench.

Regardless of the type of timing device employed, we provide contacts associated with such timing device for connecting or disconnecting an electric circuit after a predetermined time and these contacts are properly inserted in the control circuits to correctly time the various heat treating intervals.

Of course, when several stations are being operated, it is usually found necessary to avoid having two of these connected to the heating current source simultaneously. A selector device similar to that herein described will thus be required regardless of whether a timing drum or one of the alternative timing mechanisms described herein is used.

For some purposes we control the timing of the heating interval and the timing of the application of thequench by a relay or relays actuated by a thermo-couple or a color sensitive optical device set adjacent to the surface of thearticle being heated. We have shown such apparatus ilrgscgur Patent No. 2,180,038 issued November 14,

. While in general this specification makes reference to the heating of one part of an article at a time, we do, when necessary or desirable, heat treat two or more separate zones on one article at one time, or separate zones on separate zones on the same or separate articles that re 7 quire the same hea g power, we connect the two heating indlictors to the same high Irequency source either in series or in parallel. It

such separate zones require diiierent amounts of power or different heating periods we control the delivery of the correct amount of power to each zone and the time of application of the heating at each zone according to the needs of the work by a judicious application and/or combination Other modes of applying the principle of our invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any oi the following claims or the equivalent oi, such stated means be employed.

- We therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as our invention:

1. An apparatus for hardening an article in particular portions thereof by electro-magnetic inductive heating and quenching, comprising a source of alternating current, bus bars connected to said source, a plurality of stations at each etc which a portion oi an article is adapted to be hardened, a conveyor on which an article may be moved from one station to another, said bus bars extendingfrom one station to another, a heating circuit for each station, the heating circult. comprising an inductor adapted to lie in closely spaced relation with one of the portions and means for connecting the inductor to the bus bars, means for approximately tuning the heating circuit at said station independently of the tuning at another station, said tuning means incliiding variable condenser means, means for starting operation of each station, means responsive to the starting of each station for automatically controlling said variable condenser means to provide a different condenser eifect at said station than at another of the stations, and lockout means at each station to prevent two inductors from being connected to the bus bars simultaneously, the lock-out means at one station being operable by current flowing in a circuit at another station.

2. In apparatus for hardening articles by electro-magnetic inductive heating followed by quenching, a plurality of stations at each of which an article is adapted to be hardened, a source of periodically varying current for all of the stations, meansat each station for heating a selected part of the article by electro-magnetic induction, timer controlled mechanism at each station for measuring a duration of heating at that station. capacity control means for changing the power factor of said periodically varying current, the capacity control means comprising preselecting switches for preliminarily closing a selected part of a capacity control circuit to make a selected capacity available for a heating circuit at a selected heating station while leaving some of the switches open to exclude other capacity from the said heating circuit, and timer controlled means for completing the selected part ofthe capacity control circuit to connect the-selected capacity to the selected heating circuit for a, predetermined interval.

3. An apparatus for hardening portions of an the same time accomplishes the objects above set out,

a plurality of stations at each of which an article is adapted to have at least some portion of it hardened, means at each station for inductively heating the article to be hardened at that station, a source of alternating current for the heating means, condenser means for raising the power 7 factor of the current at the station being operrise in temperature of the portion of the article being heated at the said station, means for actusting the. heating means at each station, the condensers and relays energized at a station being actuated in response to the actuating means at such station, and lock-out means at each station to prevent two inductors from being connected to the alternating current source simultaneously,

the lock-out means at one station being operable by current flowing in a circuit at another station.

4. An apparatus for hardening predetermined portions of an article, said apparatus comprising a plurality of stations at each of which a part of the article is heated electro-magnetically by current supplied to an inductor, the heating being followed by quenching, a conveyor by means of which the article may be moved from one station to another, the inductor at each station being adapted to heat some portion of the article, a timer at each station for timing the duration of heating at that station, the timer at one station having adjustable contactors substantially correspending with contactors of a timer at another station, means for adjusting the contactors on the timer at the one station to change the duration of heating at that station relative to the duration of heating at he said another station, means for controlling voltage of the current applied to the inductor at each station, said means including an adjustable timer contactor in a voltage control circuit, means for controlling phase relation of the current applied to the inductor at each station, the said last named means including a timer contactor in a capacity control circuit, all of the'control circuits being commonly I connectable to a common circuit by contactors on all the timers, and a source for supplying periodically varying current to the inductors.

5. An apparatus for heating two articles by electro-magnetic induction comprising two conarticle by electio-magnetic'inductiye heating iol- 7s ductors for heating the two articles, a generator for supplying alternating current to said conductors, a field circuit for said generator, switches in the said field circuit, timer operated means 'for actuating said switches in timed relation to control a plurality of-resistances to increase current in the generator field circuit, timer operated means for closing a switch for successively connecting the generator to the conductors and for simultaneously and differently actuating the means for increasing the field current of the gem orator whereby generator voltage is increased simultaneously with application. of the heating means, the said increase being at a different rate for one of the articles than for the other article.

6 An apparatus for, heating two articles by .lowed by quenching, which apparatus includes electro-magnetic induction comprising inductors for heating the articles, two timers for controlling the heating within different limits for the two articles, means whereby operations of both of said timers may be substantially simultaneously initiated, a high frequency generator source of periodically varying current for said inductors, and automatic means for changing voltage of the said source of current for one of the articles independently of a change of voltage for the other article, said automatic means comprising means for varying current in an excitation circuit of the high frequency generator, said last named means comprising one or more contactor elements on each of the said timers.

7. In apparatus for hardening articles by electro-magnetic inductive heating and quenching, comprising a plurality of stations at each of which an article is adapted to be heated, each station comprising a heating conductor adapted to lie in spaced relationshipwith an article to heat the article, a high frequency generator for delivering heating current to all of the stations, bus bars being connected to the generator, the bus bars extending from one station to another, means to connect a heating conductor at each heating station to the bus bars successively to heat the articles one at atime, the generator having a field circuit, time controlled means for progressively changing current in the field circuit to increase volta'ge at the aforesaid bus. bars during a heating interval, timedmeans for automatically reducing the field current of the generator to terminate the heating interval, switch means in timed relation with the reducing means to disconnect the generator from the bus bars after said field current has been reduced, a group of pre-selected condensers connectable to the heating circuit, and means to automatically connect and disconnect said condensers in the heating circuit in timed relation with the beginning of the heating interval, the condensers at one heating station being of a difierent capacity than the condensers at another station.

8. In apparatus of the class described, a source of high frequency current, a first inductor adapted to heat one article, a second inductor adapted to heat another article, a first circuit comprising switching means for connecting the first inductor to the source, a second circuit for connecting the second inductor to, the source, 'voltage control means for the high frequency current, said control means comprising a series of resistance units,

a first switching means for shorting out a first group of selected resistance units in timed relation to delivering current to the first inductor to increase current being delivered to said first inductor, a second switching means for shorting out a second group of selected resistance units in preselected timed relation to delivering current to the second inductor to increase current being delivered to the second inductor, each switching means comprising an independent member to selectively operate current contacts to short out preselected resistance'units, a part of the resistance units being common to both groups. timing means for connecting the resistance units of the first group to the first circuit in timed relation with connecting power to the first inductor, timing means for connecting the resist,-

anoe units of the second group to the second circuit in timed relation with connecting power to the second inductor, and automatic means to prevent connecting resistance units of the second group to the second circuit while resistance units of the first group are connected to the first circuit.

9. In apparatus of the class described, a source of high frequency current, a first inductor adapted to heat one article, a second inductor adapted to heat another article, a first circuit comprising switching means for connecting the first inductor to the source, a second circuit comprising switch ing means for connecting the second inductor to the source, power factor control means comprising a bank of condensers, switching means for connecting selected units comprising a first group of condensers to the first circuit, switching means for connecting a second group of condensers to the second circuit, a part of the condensers being common to both groups, timing means for connecting the condensers of the firstgroup to the first circuit in timed relation with connecting connecting the condensers of the second group to the second circuit in timed relation with connecting power to, the second inductor, and automatic cut-out means to prevent connecting c'on-' densers of the second group to the second circuit while condensers of the first group are connected to the first circuit.

10. In apparatus for independently heating two metallic articles by electro-magnetic means, a first station comprising a first inductor adapted to heat one of the articles, a second station comprising a second inductor adapted to heat the other article, means operable during heating by the first inductor to initiate heating by the second inductor, means to automatically cause a beginning of heating by the sebnd'inductor immediately after heating by the first inductor has terminated, and means common to both the aforesaid stations for selectively regulating power being delivered to both inductors to heat tge article at the second station at a different rate than the article at the first station is heated, and means to independently and automatically regulate current and voltage phase relationship at both of said stations.

11. In apparatus of the class described for heat treating an article, a first inductor adapted to lie in current inducing relation with a part of the article, a second inductor adapted to lie in current inducing relation with another part, a source of current for the inductors,.timer means including a first timer for initiating heating by the first inductor, means controlled by the firsttimer for progressively varying a rate of power being delivered to the first inductorduring a heating interval to control a rate of heating in the article, the timer comprising means for providing a predetermined phasev relationship of the current and voltage of the power being delivered to the first inductor during the heating interval, a second timer to control power to be delivered to the second inductor, and means to prevent operation of the second timer while thefirst timer is in operation, the said last named meanscomprising a switch in a circuit of the first timer.

12. In apparatus of the class described for sucsugars 1 1 to the relay at that station. a selector adapted 'to momentarily close the said control circuits cohsecutively, relay means in a circuit of the selector to hold one of said control circuits closd which has been closed first, said last named control circuit comprising means for closing a switch in the power supply circuit, a condenser tor tuning the power supply circuit, a, timer, switch mum in the first closed control circuit for starting the timer, and a variable resistance ior changing voltage in the power supply circuit, the said timer comprising means for timing to change in 5 the variable resistance.

FRANCIS s. DENNEEN. WILLIAM c. DUNN. 

